When eating out at restaurants, it can be challenging to make healthy choices and monitor calorie intake. For those looking for a lighter option at Red Robin, the simply grilled chicken salad may seem like a good bet. But how many calories are actually in this salad? Let’s take a detailed look at the nutrition facts.
An Overview of Red Robin
Red Robin is a popular casual dining restaurant chain with over 500 locations across the United States and Canada. They are known for their extensive selection of gourmet burgers, but also offer a variety of other menu items including salads, sandwiches, entrées, appetizers, and desserts.
While often associated with indulgent, higher calorie fare, Red Robin does offer some healthier options, including a lineup of “Right Size Right Now” dishes that provide sensible portions and balance. The simply grilled chicken salad is one of the “Right Size Right Now” choices.
Simply Grilled Chicken Salad Description
The simply grilled chicken salad at Red Robin is listed under their “Right Size Right Now” menu section. It is described as follows:
“Grilled chicken breast,Arcadian Greens, grape tomatoes, red onions, carrots, oregano vinaigrette.”
So this salad contains grilled chicken as the protein source along with a variety of fresh vegetables and greens. The oregano vinaigrette provides flavor.
Nutrition Facts for the Simply Grilled Chicken Salad
Here are the key nutrition facts for the simply grilled chicken salad at Red Robin:
- Calories: 490
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
- Sodium: 750mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 33g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 56g
As you can see, the total calorie count for the simply grilled chicken salad is 490 calories. That provides a good overview, but let’s analyze the calorie and nutrient breakdown in more detail.
Calories from Fat vs. Carbs vs. Protein
Out of the total 490 calories in the Red Robin grilled chicken salad:
- 108 calories come from fat
- 132 calories come from carbohydrates
- 224 calories come from protein
To visualize the calorie distribution:
| Nutrient | Calories | Percentage of Total Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 108 | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 132 | 27% |
| Protein | 224 | 51% |
As shown, over half the calories come from protein, which makes sense given the grilled chicken. About a quarter of calories come from fat and carbs.
Fat Calories
Taking a closer look at the 108 fat calories:
- 36 calories come from saturated fat
- 72 calories come from unsaturated fat
The salad has 2g of saturated fat, so 36 of the 108 fat calories are saturated. The remaining fat grams are unsaturated, contributing 72 calories.
Carb Calories
The breakdown of the 132 carb calories is:
- 24 calories from fiber
- 108 calories from other carbs like sugars
The 6g of fiber accounts for 24 calories, while the 4g of sugar and other carbs make up the remaining 108 carb calories.
Protein Calories
All of the 224 protein calories come directly from the 56g of protein in the salad.
Putting the Calorie Counts in Context
Now that we’ve taken a detailed look at the calorie distribution, how does this salad stack up nutrition-wise?
490 calories is a relatively high amount for a single salad serving. For comparison, a McDonalds Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken has 420 calories. And an Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad has just 365 calories. So the Red Robin salad has over 100 more calories than typical fast food and casual dining salads.
On the other hand, this salad does provide a hefty dose of filling protein at 56g. The Southwest Salad has 32g of protein while the Oriental Chicken Salad has 26g. So you are getting more protein for those calories at Red Robin.
The fiber content is also respectable at 6g, over 20% of the daily value. And saturated fat is relatively low for the total fat content.
Tips for Making the Salad Healthier
If you want to cut some calories from the Red Robin grilled chicken salad, here are some modifications you can request:
- Ask for dressing on the side and use just half
- Request no cheese or bacon bits as add-ons
- Substitute grilled chicken for crispy or fried chicken
- Choose balsamic vinaigrette or another light dressing
- Skip any tortilla strips or heavy crackers
- Order the half-size salad portion
Implementing some of these tweaks can potentially shave off 100 or more calories from the total.
Conclusion
The simply grilled chicken salad at Red Robin contains a total of 490 calories. Of those calories:
- 108 come from fat
- 132 come from carbohydrates
- 224 come from protein
While on the higher side for restaurant salads, the calorie count reflects a good amount of protein. There are also ways to modify the salad to reduce the calorie density if desired. Overall, it can be a reasonably healthy option for those looking for lighter fare at Red Robin.